


Warrior At Heart

by mythical_song_wolf



Category: Minecraft (Video Game), Minecraft Story Mode
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon Compliant, Fanon, Gen, Headcanon, Lies, Mild Blood, Minor Injuries, My Canon that I'm pulling out of my ass for the most part, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Secret Past, Secrets
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-31
Updated: 2020-08-31
Packaged: 2021-03-07 01:34:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,688
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26208778
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mythical_song_wolf/pseuds/mythical_song_wolf
Summary: (I have no impulse control when I fixated on this during Quarantine, I haven't gone out in three weeks help I made this all in like two nights for Episode 1)Jesse has always come in many different shapes and forms depending on what you choose. Even their history and name can be free reign for all.This follows the story of a particular Jesse, who hides so much underneath the surface but still retains the same kind heart and soul they possess in all forms.
Relationships: Jesse & Lukas (Minecraft), Jesse & Petra (Minecraft)
Kudos: 12





	1. Chapter 1

Nothing built can last forever, Jesse knows this intimately. And every legend, no matter how great, fades with time, whittled down by years and years till nothing is left but half-truths and myths. In essence, lies. And yet, in all known universes between here to the Far Lands, the legend of the Order of the Stone persists on unchanged.

The Order of the Stone themselves are quite young, barely in their forties by now. But the legends of amazing heroes, all types of builders and people, coming together to slay a mighty beast known as the Ender Dragon has always had its hold on their world.

The Order of the Stone was the name of a far off legend and fairytale, now it's the name of a group of heroes who fulfilled that legend.

Only truly troubled lands have a need for heroes, and it seems that this one was of them. Lucky are they to have four heroes to have made their lies and myths into reality.

Gabriel the Warrior, Ellegaard the Redstone Engineer, Magnus the Rogue, and Soren the Architect.

They defeated the dragon and finally gave everyone a solid name and face to the legends of old, cementing their name in history.

* * *

“Would you rather fight a hundred chicken-sized zombies or ten zombie-sized chickens?” Olivia curiously asks.

“Hm, I guess the zombie-sized chickens? Because seeing one that big would be pretty interesting. Fighting wise? I’d say fifty-fifty on that. The chickens won’t try to hurt me but the zombies would, but a startled chicken is a pecky chicken. Really depends on the mood, really,” Jesse replies as she flips to the next page of her book, while Olivia sets up a nightlight for Reuben, “He’s coming with us.”

“Really?”

She puts down her book to look at Olivia, “Of course he is, why wouldn’t he?”

“Okay, okay, I’m not saying that he shouldn’t come but don’t you think it’s a little weird that you take him with you everywhere you go?”

“Reuben’s my best friend along with you and Axel. I’m not leaving him behind.”

“I didn’t mean anything by it—”

“I know, I know, you don’t want to give everyone another reason to call us losers. But when we win this year’s building competition, they’ll have less reason to do that!”

“Okay, that’s fair.”

Axel pops out from the ladder and startles the three of them, earning a reflexive punch from Jesse.

“Ow,” Axel groans, taking off the mask and rubbing his nose.

“Not funny Axel!” Olivia chides, while Reuben tries to tackle him.

“I could tell,” He grumbles, pinching the bridge of his nose, “That was some punch Jesse, where’d you learn to hit so hard?”

_ Lie. _

“Thanks, I’ve been working on my combat skill lately,” She brushes off with a smile, “Did you bring the fireworks?”

“Of course I did, I also brought something for the little guy.” He brings out an Ender Dragon costume and puts in on Reuben, who happily parades around the room in it.

A few moments later Olivia and Axel head down while Jesse grabs a few more things. Shears, Flint & Steel, and double checks the durability on her stone sword.

_ Really should upgrade this to an iron one, I have a feeling I’ll need it for some reason... Huh... Mother’s intuition? I’ll bring some iron just in case. _

* * *

They decide on building an Enderman along with their firework show.

(“Get it? Enderman at Endercon with an Ender Dragon pig, it’s genius!”

“I regret suggesting an Enderman.”

“A Creeper would’ve been cooler.”)

Their team name is the Order of the Pigs, and they get onto building... Until Axel and Olivia get side-tracked by what the Ocelots are doing.

“C’mon guys don’t get distracted by what the other teams are doing and focus on our own build.”

“They have a freakin’ beacon!” Axel repeats, more exasperated than the last time.

“They’re not just making a beacon. They’re making a rainbow beacon!” Olivia adds, panic lacing her tone at its edge.

“Relax, we’ve got this,” Jesse tries to assure.

“Who are we kidding?” Olivia retorts anxiously, “We’ve got nothing.”

“We have a plan, each other, annnd a cute mascot. Now let’s stop ogling the competition and get to building!” She announces with a clap as she turns to her friends.

Gill laughs at them as him and Maya approach Aiden, “Look, it’s the Order of the Losers. Again.”

“Don’t mind us,” Jesse tries but her voice is drowned out by Olivia’s.

“We were just looking.”

Aiden, that snarky bastard, replies with an arrogant surity of the Ocelots’ victory that she brushes off, but then he has the  _ gall _ to call Reuben food.

“Shut up asshole.”

“What was that?” Aiden says, cold and serious in an attempt to be threatening. If he was a bit more unhinged it would maybe scare her, but that he is not.

“She—”

“I said, ‘shut up asshole’ or is your hearing as defective as your brain?”

“Why you—”

“Stop wasting time you three,” Lukas orders, “We’ve got work to do.”

“Hey guys,” Petra greets the two groups, “How’s the build going?”

“Only time will tell, but we’re optimistic,” Axel replies, with Olivia and Jesse nodding along.

Lukas smiles and approaches Petra (and in turn the Order of the Pigs), “Hey Petra, I forgot to thank you for that Nether Star.”

“Hey, no problem Lukas.”

Jesse and her team, with a lot of prodigy from their leader, continue on their build as Lukas and Petra banter for a bit before she leaves.

“Hey,” Lukas calls out, causing them to turn to him, “No hard feelings guys. If you’re cool with Petra, you’re cool with us.”

Jesse smiles, “Of course, let’s focus on making this about how awesome our builds will be, yeah?”

“Yeah, and may the best team win.”

Lukas and his team turn and walk away before Jesse replies with, “Be careful what you wish for.” The Ocelots pause for a moment, before Lukas smirks and chuckles but continues on.

* * *

They spend the whole afternoon making the Enderman alongside the rest of the builders with their own structures. Aiden tries to get a rise out of them again but Jesse pays him no mind so the others don’t either.

When they finish their build and the fireworks go off, all eyes are on them in awe. For once, everyone’s looking at her and her friends like they’re actually capable of something.

Aiden, in his fit of petty jealousy, breaks a block that was blocking off some lava which sets Reuben’s costume on fire and risking their build.

A switch flicks and Jesse’s off the Enderman and running after him while shouting some orders to her team.

“You two block off the lava while I get Reuben!”

“You got it Jesse! We’ll meet up with you at Endercon!”

If Aiden is suddenly knocked down with a broken nose when she passes by, she won’t say it wasn’t her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bonus info that I don't have the drawing skill to create: My Jesse wears a red hoodie with a black shirt, with black and white sneakers, and some plain blue jeans. Her hair is long and layered. Other details are honestly still on the fence because I impulsively made this before I even decided on the usual amount of detail I give characters for my fics


	2. Chapter 2

“Reuben! Where are you buddy?” Jesse calls out to the dark and empty forest. Monsters should be coming out soon, she needs to find him fast.

She checks the well, a patch of grass that contains a chicken, a drift of pigs that don’t contain Reuben, and finds Reuben’s burnt costume that he somehow removed.

Eventually, she finds him in a farther patch of grass, shaking.

“Reuben! There you are! Want a carrot?” Reuben happily steps out of his hiding place to devore the offering, “I’m so happy to see you, now let’s get out of here and meet up with the others at Endercon.”

Reuben oinks in distress and she turns to find two zombies approaching them. They run until they’re cornered and she fights to defend them both. She tells Reuben to run when she feels her stone sword about to break.

Thank goodness Petra came in just as her sword broke and guided her to a cave.

“I wanna show you something.”

“Sure, and thanks for the save, Petra.”

“No problem.”

“Where does this cave even lead to? A mine, clearly but I’m guessing there’s a few other exits?”

“Yeah, there’s an exit that should get us back to town,” Petra pauses, humming and eyeing her for something, “Weird.”

“What?” Jesse asks, blinkling innocently.

“No offense but I was expecting you to be a bit more scared by this dimly lit tunnel, you always came off as sort of a wimp.”

She rolls her eyes, “It’s not my first time in a cave, Petra.”

“Yeah, but have you ever seen—” She pulls it out— “A Wither Skull?”

Jesse blinks before an awed smile forms on her face, “Whoa...”

Petra smirks, “Fresh from the Nether.”

“That’s insanely cool, Petra! Those can be a surprisingly rare thing to get from those stupid things.”

“Tell me about it,” Petra groans, before putting it away, “There’s this guy I’m meeting up at Endercon who’ll trade me a diamond for this skull.”

“Hm... Something about this I don’t trust.”

Petra rolls her eyes, “Relax, I got this.”

“I don’t doubt that, but, one, you should be asking for more than one diamond for something that rare. Especially with how tough it is to find a Nether Fortress to find them and how rare of a drop it is. And, two, you know how you need Wither Skulls to make a Wither?”

“You’re worried he might make a Wither?”

“Yeah, for all we could know he could have all the skulls he needs with yours getting added in. He might summon it at Endercon.”

“Or... Ms. Worrywart, this could be the first or second skull he’s getting and he plans on fighting the Wither after it. Again, relax Jesse, I’ve got this,” She repeats, placing a hand on Jesse’s shoulder.

“Alright, I trust you,” She says half-heartedly.

“You know, you could come with me if you’re so concerned about this deal. I won’t mind a little backup.”

“Yeah... I think I will.”

The two of them pass by a crafting table that Petra gestures for Jesse to use.

“I’ve got some cobble and sticks in that chest, you can make yourself a new sword since your last one broke.”

“Thanks.”

She grabs the sticks, leaving the cobble, and crafts an Iron Sword. She slashes it through the air for a bit.  _ Now this is more like it. _

“You sure you know how to use that thing? Iron is a pretty big step up from wood and stone.”

“Yes, Petra, I do. Besides,” She says, throwing a smirk at her, “If I’m going to back you up later, a better weapon might be needed.”

* * *

Once they exit the tunnel, they see fireworks lighting up Endercon.

“I can’t believe it, we won.”

“Congrats Jesse.”

“It’s about time we beat the Ocelots for once.”

Petra chuckles, “I’ll say. But why didn’t you join them?”

“Hm?”

“Lukas and the Ocelots, I mean. Lukas formed his little gang around a year or so after you arrived in town. I know you two were friends before that, what happened?”

“Well, I was going through some stuff and I met Axel and Olivia. Lukas is cool with them but the rest of the Ocelots weren’t and I wasn’t going to tolerate that. Since our two groups didn’t get along we didn’t have much reason to hang out as much. Well, outside of helping you on the odd occasion.”

“I never did thank you two for helping me get all those Emeralds,” Petra chuckles, “I remember that every time a bat flew too close you would practically screech!”

“Listen, I don’t want them touching me!” Jesse shudders at the thought, “They’re like the winged rats of the night.”

“Creepers!” Petra points out, before turning to find Zombies at the other end of the bridge, “We’re surrounded! There are too many of them!”

“Jump!” Jesse grabs Petra's arm and throws both of them off the bridge into the lake below, “You okay?”

“Yeah, this water’s cold but that’s better than getting blown up.”

* * *

Jesse and Petra meet up with Axel and Olivia, celebrating their victory. Before the two pairs separate so Jesse can accompany Petra on her deal.

Meanwhile, in another section of Endercon. Aiden is absolutely furious.

“Why are you breaking up with me?!”

“Because, as of far too often recently, you’ve been nothing but an utter douchebag, Aiden! We’ve all told you to get that temper of yours under control but you never listened!”

“Fine! Fine! We’re over, but so are the Ocelots because I’m leaving!”

“Fine! We don’t need you anyway, right guys?” Lukas looks between Gill and Maya, who glance at each other fearfully before shifting away from Lukas to Aiden.

Aiden smirks, taking off the Ocelots Jacket and throwing it into the trash and walking away, with Gill and Maya tailing behind him.

Lukas sighs, running a hand through his hair and walks to the crowd and passes by a butcher who’s about to execute a pig with a dark spot on its back— Reuben.

“Excuse me,” Lukas starts, gaining the Butcher’s attention, “Where did you find that pig if I may ask?”

“It ran into here from the forest. What’s it to you kid?”

“Ah. Well, that’s my friend’s pig, so I can have him back?”

“Depends, what’re you offering in turn?”

“I have some iron and sticks to make an Iron Axe, instead of using that stone one.”

“Hm... I’ll take it.”

Lukas places the items on the counter and walks away with Reuben, “I’m guessing you and Jesse found each other?”

He oinks happily before making a sad noise. Lukas looks up at the sky.

“It is getting dark, I hope she made it back here okay.”

Reuben nods, oinking a sad but hopeful sound.

* * *

Jesse knew it. She knew that guy couldn’t be trusted, thankfully she got Petra to stay with her instead of checking other alleys because she doesn’t think she would’ve handled a conversation with the dude without potentially drawing her sword.

Now that guy scammed Petra out of her diamond, and anyone who’s anyone here should know you don’t mess with Petra. Petra heads off to the entrance while Jesse runs off to the various booths. With that many people it’ll be easy for him to hide.

But Jesse is shoved into someone as the crowd rushes to see Gabriel coming in.

“Sorry—”

“It’s okay—”

“Lukas!” She says, wide-eyed and happy to see her friend.

“Jesse!” He replies with a bright smile, before Reuben oinks and jumps before her.

She gasps, “Reuben!” She hugs her friend, “I’m so glad you’re safe! Did Lukas find you?”

“I did, but technically a Butcher found him first,” He replies, too casually for her comfort.

“Oh?” She says, her tone dripping with a hidden edge and venom.

“I traded him some iron and sticks for Reuben.”

She blinks several times, “Oh, oh, you- you didn’t have to. Thank you.”

He waves it off, “Don’t worry about it, you’re my friend.”

“Yeah, yeah...” She glances around, awkwardly, “So... where are the other Ocelots?”

Lukas coughs— well, more like choke on air, “Oh, the Ocelots disbanded due to... conflicting interests.”

She eyes him for a moment, but he avoids her gaze so she drops it with a sigh, “Have you seen a creepy guy with long hair and beard? He scammed Petra out of a diamond and now she’s on the hunt for him.”

Lukas fearfully gasps, “Everyone knows you don’t mess with Petra, not if you know what’s good for you. That guy is either nuts or has a deathwish. I haven’t seen anyone like that but I’ll keep an eye out.”

“Thanks, and thank you again for saving Reuben’s life.”

Jesse and Reuben walk away and come by Axel and Olivia who report nothing about who she’s looking for. This is going to be a long night.


	3. Chapter 3

“Excuse me?” Jesse asks someone that looks like her culprit.

“Yes?”

“Ah, sorry, I thought you were someone else. Sorry Ms. Mada.”

“It’s alright kid, who are you looking for?”

“Some punk that scammed Petra on a deal.”

“Yikes, I’m guessing he has a similar outfit and hairstyle to me from behind? I think I saw him roaming around here a bit ago but he’s probably lost in the crowd by now. Sorry I couldn’t be of more help.”

“It’s alright, that’s given me more than enough, thank you!”

“No problem, stay safe out there kid!”

Jesse passes by the Usher blocking the hall where Gabriel waits before backtracking for a moment and asking, “What time does Gabriel’s presentation start?”

“In an hour or so, why’re you asking?”

“I’m part of the team that won the building competition, just wondering how long me and my friends have to wait to meet him.”

The Usher nods, before jumping with a scream at a random chicken popping up behind him. Jesse rolls her eyes and grabs the chicken and sends it off to wreak havoc in another area of the convention.

As she and Reuben watch the chicken waddle away, the others approach her and ask about the guy.

“No, haven’t found him. Ms. Mada did say she was around this area of the convention, but that was a while ago so we can’t even be sure anymore.”

Lukas approaches them, “Guys, is that him?” He asks, pointing to their culprit walking towards the conference hall.

“That’s him!” Petra says, looking more than ready to pounce and rip that diamond or wither skull from his beaten body.

“Wait,” Olivia pulls her back, “How are we going to get past that Usher? He can’t let us in until the conference starts and that’s in an hour. He’ll be long gone by then.”

Axel hums, “Maybe we could distract him but how?”

Lukas looks at the group, then at Jesse with wide eyes, “What are you doing with that rock?”

“Getting ourselves in to catch that guy.” With that she throws the rock at a nearby machine filled with chickens and sets them loose, scaring the Usher away as the group runs into the hall.

* * *

“So, what’re we doing once we catch him?” Lukas asks before they enter the door to the basement, “There are a million ways we could play this.”

“Whatever we have to, but personally I wouldn’t mind punching him in the face  _ at least _ once.”

“He deserves it for crossing Petra,” Lukas agrees, crossing his arms with a nod.

Olivia and Axel glance between the two for a bit before their gaze settles onto Jesse, “That was a bit more intense than we expected, you alright Jesse?” Axel asks.

“I’m fine, just a bit on edge,” She says, walking through the door.

They carefully explore the strange library. Petra finds and snags a gold sword, Axel steals a potion from an oddly placed pedestal (despite Olivia’s order not to), and Jesse finds a lever that opens up a secret behind the bookshelf.

Jesse sharply gasps, catching everyone’s attention. Petra takes in a sharp breath before stepping closer to her and examining the soul sand.

“You were right, he  _ is _ building a Wither.”

“A Wither... one of the worst monsters there is. Probably as bad as the Ender Dragon, maybe even worse since it can be summoned in the overworld like an Iron Golem,” Lukas deduces, getting two fearful stares from Olivia and Axel.

“Let’s check the chest, maybe he doesn’t have all the skulls needed for one yet.” There were already two in the chest. “Goddammit.”

“But what about that block in the middle?” Olivia questions, “If it’s built similarly to an Iron Golem, then shouldn’t the middle block also be made of soulsand?”

Axel holds Olivia back from getting closer, “Careful, who knows what that thing could do.”

“Oh like that potion you stole?”

Axel groans and rolls his eyes, “Fine, I’ll put it back if you promise not to touch that block.”

Olivia smirks, “Deal.”

Jesse eyes the blinking and flickering block in the middle, “I don’t— I don’t recognize that block. Do either of you?”

Petra and Lukas shake their heads, but then they hear the door open and one of them whispers, “Scatter!”

The guy comes in, seeming to be practicing something. Like a line he’s planning to say to someone. Jesse’s afraid she might know who.

Reuben and Axel manage to avoid him turning suddenly, but Olivia knocks a bottle off a shelf and catches his attention. From the side of the shelf Jesse’s hiding behind she sees him getting closer to Olivia.

_ Stay quiet. Warn her! _

Jesse grabs the nearest potion bottle she sees and throws it across the library.  _ An unfinished Awkward Potion, _ if she remembers her potions correctly.

The man stops and turns, running to where the potion bottle shattered. She gestures for Axel, Olivia, and Reuben to make a break for it but the guy catches them.

“What are you three doing here?! What did you see?”

“Leave them alone!” Jesse orders, emerging from her hiding place with Petra and Lukas following suit.

He looks between Jesse and Petra, “You two. Did you follow me here?”

“We wouldn’t have if you just gave Petra the diamond you owe her. But I’m glad you didn’t,” Jesse snarls, cracking her knuckles, “We know what you’re doing here. You’re making a Wither, and I’m guessing the skull Petra gave you was the last one you needed.”

He narrows his eyes at her, “You were smarter than I expected.”

“Hey, nobody talks to my friends like that. Now shut your mouth... or else,” Axel warns, crossing his arms with Olivia doing the same.

But then he runs past them towards some iron blocks— Oh shit.

“He’s making a golem! Run for it!”

Olivia and Petra go for the door, while Lukas cowers back into the library. Jesse runs after him.

“Jesse!” Axel calls out, with Reuben squealing next to him.

“Get out of here with Reuben! We’ll catch up with you guys!” Jesse runs further in while the thief disappears from her sight. “Lukas!”

“Jesse?” He whispers from the chest not too far from the shelf she’s on top of, “You stayed behind? Why?”

“I came here to get you, c’mon! It can’t reach us if we’re four blocks high!” She whispers in a screaming tone, “Grab my hand.”

“Okay,” He slowly comes out of the double chest and reaches for her but then the golem comes in and tries to get him. “AH!”

“No!” She does the stupidly unthinkable and jumps the golem and stabs it with her sword before jumping back onto a shelf too low, “That was stupid, god that was stupid. Ah!” She falls backwards when the golem tries to hit her. She gets up and makes a run for it, only to meet it around the corner and receiving a swift punch to the face that knocks her to the wall.

“Hey!” Lukas calls out, throwing a stone sword through its back, with another sword in his other hand, “Get away from her!”

It turns to Lukas, and Jesse takes that opportunity to further pierce the sword through its body and then twisting the blade. A moment later, it disappears into a puff of smoke, dropping five iron ingots.

“Here,” Jesse offers the iron to Lukas, “As a payment for the iron you lost for saving Reuben.”

“I’m sorry—”

“Don’t be, it’s what friends are for.”

“Jesse, your nose is bleeding because of me,” He points out, before bringing out some tissue from his pocket, “Let me...”

He wipes away some of the blood from her face while she pinches the bridge of her nose to try and stop the bleeding. They slowly make it back up the stairs where the others are poorly explaining to Gabriel what that guy has cooking up downstairs.

But then the guy catches Gabriel’s attention and monologues about something before stepping on stage, the Wither pieces emerging from below.

“Somebody stop him before he finishes that Wither!” She shouts, before recoiling from the pain in her skull from that punch.

“Ivor! No!” Gabriel screams before Ivor places the final Wither skull onto the strange block, summoning a different kind of Wither.

Everyone runs for it while Jesse staggers towards the group with Lukas keeping her steady. Gabriel tries to stop it before Ivor tries to command it to, but it’s not listening.

“It’s not working you fool!” Jesse shouts, trying to step forward with only Lukas holding her back.

“No need to be alarmed, my friends,” Ivor says, wearily, “I have an elixir that will destroy this creature.”

Olivia gently elbows Axel and whispers, “Aren’t you glad I got you to put it back?”

“For once, yes.”

But it doesn’t work. Or rather, it’s gotten too strong for the potion to even work, protecting the strange block. Ivor runs away while the creature uses a tractor beam to try and grab Gabriel with Olivia and Axel coming in to save him.

“Ivor was right about one thing, I can’t defeat this on my own. Everyone’s running away... will you five—”

“Oink!”

“Sorry,  _ six _ help me stop it?”

“Of course! Right guys?” Jesse asks, with some tissue in her nose. The group nods before running out. Jesse spots the flock of chickens in their way and tosses some seeds in her pocket to the side to get them away, “Why did I have seeds with me??”

“No idea but at least it got the chickens out of our way!”


	4. Chapter 4

They make it into Gabriel’s chamber, but that  _ thing _ is still hot on their heels. Jesse runs ahead to quickly light the portal in one fluid motion.

“C’mon! Let’s go!” She orders, Olivia, Axel, and Reuben all run in while Gabriel tries to delay the creature from getting them, getting caught by one of its tentacles in the process, “Gabriel!”

She pulls him free and he tells him to find the others. Soren’s been missing for years, but now it's her and her friend’s duty to find Ellegaard and Magnus. He gives her an amulet but before he can tell her what it does another tentacle comes in to separate them.

She makes a break for the portal with Lukas, with Petra watching their back. But then it pops two of its ugly heads in and tries to pull Petra and Gabriel.

“Lukas! Save Petra while I get Gabriel!” Jesse orders, grabbing for Gabriel’s leg, before turning to find Lukas frozen and Petra still up being sucked in, “Lukas!”

He takes a step, but hesitates, fear gripping him and weighing him down. Jesse groans and flicks her wrist. A grappling hook comes out of her sleeve and Petra latches onto it. Another flick and the hook retracts. She manages to get them both down.

“How did you—?”

“Jesse! Look out!” Lukas warns, before she’s hit by a tentacle and knocked into Lukas and thrown through the portal.

* * *

“Jesse? What happened?” Olivia asks, while Axel glares at the blonde.

Jesse blearily blinks while getting up, before wincing and grabbing her side, “I think that thing hit me in the ribs...” A pause. “I think I also sprained my wrist...”

Axel shifts his eyes to her, “What happened out there?”

“It was chaos, there wasn’t much I could do.”  _ Not with the gear I have, doesn’t help that I’m also rusty. _

“I got scared, just for a second.”

Axel turns back to Lukas with a glare more furious, “You got scared?”

“Axel,” Jesse hisses, “You didn’t see that thing. Any reasonable person would’ve been scared by that thing! It got Petra and Gabriel, I tried to save them both but then it knocked me into Lukas and... here we are.”

Lukas raises an eyebrow up at her, while Olivia steps up to ask the question, “How did you try and save them?”

_ Lie. Don’t, Lukas will know. _

Reuben nudges her leg, urging her to tell the truth, “I have these special gauntlets hidden underneath my sleeves,” She starts, pulling up her sleeve to show them off, “I haven’t used them in years but kept having them on out of habit.”

“Where... Why would you even have something like this Jesse?” Axel asks, looking at her with hopeless confusion alongside Olivia and Lukas.

“It’s... complicated.”

Reuben oinks loudly, causing them all to turn to him as he points to the portal.

“It’s Petra! It’s got to be her!”

Nope, its Ivor. With a Wither Storm vine following him and destroying the portal. They talk to Ivor for a bit, and by the Gods had her wrist not been sprained she would’ve punched him in the face by now.

Ivor tells them about a railroad the Order created before he disappears with a potion as a Ghast appears and they run for the railroad.

* * *

The rest of the group looks around in awe at the Nether while Jesse keeps an eye on their front.

_ Strange, we haven’t stumbled into any of the other biomes. Maybe the Order’s cart tracks don’t go into any for safety reasons? It would be easier to build it in the wastes. Considering the amount of things in the way in the forests, the amount of lava pools in the deltas, and the amount of skeletons in the valley. _

Reuben squeals in fear before dipping into his cart. Jesse gasps, “Big fall in coming!”

As they descend down, she and Axel cheer. She warns the others when to duck when they pass through that tunnel.

“Can someone  _ please _ make sure that lever is flipped in case I miss it? I kinda have an injured wrist here.”

Axel gets it but then they all somehow get separated.

“Reuben?! Reuben!”

In the distance she hears him oink in fear. There’s a skeleton in the cart in front of him. What the fuck.

When their cart lanes are parallel, she grabs the stupid thing by its rib with her good hand and throws it into the lava. Reuben hops into the cart behind her, and just her luck three Ghasts appear! Wonderful...

She gets her gauntlet fully equipped so she could punch their stupid fireballs back at them, which does the trick... Until they encounter another Ghasts. Reuben escapes his cart and hops into hers just before the Ghast hits it with a fireball. Conveniently, they manage to meet back with the group after their cart jumps off the rails.

Everyone turns to her and Reuben, “Is...” She lets out a breathy laugh, adrenaline in her veins still making her giddy, “Is everyone alright? Uninjured at least?”

“Mentally, physically, or emotionally?” Lukas asks, clearly shaken.

“Physically?”

“Well, I’m not dead yet,” Axel replies, with Olivia nodding along.

“Ditto.”

“I’m... breathing. How can Petra come down here all the time?” Lukas gasps, partially in shock.

Jesse chuckles, “Well, that makes most of us.”

Lukas and the others eye her curiously with a hint of suspicion and offence in their gazes. Silently asking her,  _ go on? _

“What? I’ve been to the Nether before, no big deal,” She tries, hoping they drop it.

“Oh we’re talking about this later,” Olivia warns, “ _ All _ of us.” Oh so Lukas is also joining in on that, of course. Olivia is the only one between her and Axel that knows that Jesse and Lukas used to be friends.

They make it to the portal and Axel’s about to enter until Lukas reminds them of that Wither Storm and he freezes and starts to stall.

Jesse sighs, “I’ll go first. It couldn’t have gotten to where this portal is. One block in here is eight blocks out there. We’ve travelled hundreds, maybe even thousands of blocks away. That thing shouldn’t be close by. See you guys on the other side.”

* * *

“Maybe we should bed down for the night,” Lukas suggests, which Axel derails into trying to get a rise from him or something.

“I agree with Lukas, we should build a shelter. I don’t want to go out and try finding this thing with a sprained wrist.”  _ Whining will get you killed, child. _

“She’s right,” Olivia agrees, “I say we build a tree house.”

“That’ll take forever,” Axel reasons, “And we’ll be exposed while making it. We just need a quick dirt hut.”

Olivia opens her mouth and Jesse represses a sigh, knowing too well that this will turn into a debate.

“Look, whatever it is, we gotta do it fast.”

Jesse has a feeling that Lukas might be her saving grace. She forgot why she was friends with him outside of him being a nice and sweet guy, he has the sense to understand both ends of an argument when people are debating. He was the one that argued for her to take it easy but not too easy when making new friends in town while Petra insisted on a more forward approach. Granted, they were all, like, ten, but still. She’s seen it every year when the Ocelots build in the competition, how when Aiden disagrees with Gill and Maya, he finds the middle ground with a gentle sternness that she only possesses the stern half of.

“Jesse?” Olivia and Axel look to her for the answer, she sighs, shaking her head.

“Lukas?” She asks, hopeful but tired.

He stares at her in shock for a moment before speaking, “Oh. Uh... If I had to choose, considering your wrist, the dirt hut since that would require less effort but it’s also not as secure.”

“I think I can handle helping build just fine, I just need something to act as a splint for my hand.”

“Oh, then I think we should go with the tree house. Here,” He hands her a bandana that she ties with and around her gauntlet to make a makeshift splint.

They get to building and they’re done within an hour, it’s built into the tree par Lukas’ suggestion for their safety.

“Any of you guys have netherrack?” Axel asks, “I have the stone ready for it so we could have a fire.”

“Nope.”

“Sorry, I got nothing.”

Jesse just shrugs, before looking between them, “Anyone have a crafting bench? I have this coal for some reason, we could just craft one and it would be less of a fire hazard.”

Lukas has one and within a minute or so they have an actual campfire. Olivia has a fishing rod and manages to get them some fish from the pond the portal’s in and they roast it over the fire. They get only four because a Skeleton almost saw them. Oh! And Axel has some cookies with him.

“One for each of us! One cookie and fish for me, one for Olivia, one for Reuben, and one for Jesse,” He turns to Lukas and rudely adds, “Sorry Lukas, we only have four—”

“He can have mine,” Jesse mutters.

“What?”

“Jesse you can’t— You’re hurt, you need that to keep your energy up—” Lukas tries to reason.

“I don’t have an appetite after battle, I’m still too... jittery. I get nauseous if I try to eat too soon.”

“But,” Olivia shifts closer, “It’s been hours since we escaped that thing.”

“The Nether isn’t really the type of place I would go to to calm down. Lukas can have my food, I’ll be fine.”

Olivia sighs as Lukas reluctantly takes the food. The group eats in silence while Jesse stares mindlessly into the fire.

* * *

“Let’s...” Olivia starts, locking eyes with Axel who nods, “Let’s play a game.”

“Sure, what game?” Lukas asks, shifting closer to the fire.

“Never Have I Ever,” She says, “Everyone gather closer to the fire, on the stone ring. Move a bit back if you’ve done the thing the person has said.”

Everyone moves closer, except Reuben, who snuggles up to Jesse, who’s hugging her knees to her chest.

Olivia looks between the group and decides to go first, “Never have I ever... let’s start tame, dated anyone.” Lukas and Jesse move back. “Okay you two, spill.”

Jesse awkwardly smiles, “I dated two old friends. One was when we were, like, ten, and the other was when we were thirteen.”

Axel crosses his arms, “Why didn’t we know about this?”

“Because they were both my past, and I didn’t want to bring that back to you guys. I broke up with the first guy within like three months. The girl I broke up with around six months.”

“Wait, you’re bi?” Lukas asks, shocked before smiling, “Me too!”

“Nice!” The two high-five.

“Wait, what about you Lukas?” Olivia questions, mentally flipping through the possibilities.

Lukas coughs, nervously fidgeting with the collar of his jacket, “Aiden...”

“Oh,” The trio gapes at the revelation.

“Yeah... can we... can we just continue on with the game?”

Axel nods, “Okay, I’ll go next. Never have I ever broken up with anyone.”

Jesse pouts and moves back as the two smirk at her, but everyone stares at Lukas when he moves back.

“Aiden and I... broke up at Endercon. Just before I found and saved Reuben. He... also left the Ocelots... Gill and Maya followed him for... I don’t know what reasons,” Lukas says, helplessly. Shrinking under the various stares from the group.

Reuben snuggles up to him, offering comfort, “They fear him more than they like you. Aiden’s a scary dude. He works out well enough to feasibly lift some of us, doesn’t help that he’s got a temper to him,” Jesse adds, before quickly shifting topics, “Never have I ever had a crush on a redhead.”

“Oh come on that’s targeted!”

“Sorry Livliv but that last one was targeted to me too!”

“But it wasn’t me who said it! It was Axel!”

“Because you gave him the set up!”

Lukas and Axel lock eyes and nod before laughing, “To be fair, Petra is really pretty and nice.”

“So why didn’t you move?”

“She’s not my type, nor is she even into dudes.”

Olivia’s eyes sparkle with hope at that sentence.

“Lukas, your turn.”

“Okay... Hm... Never have I ever had full and proper combat training.”

Jesse moves. The trio who didn’t lock eyes before turning to her, “My mother was one hell of an adventurer and fighter back in the day. She taught me a lot of things. Most of those things I never wanted to learn.”

“Never have I ever had a fight with my parents so bad that I had to stay out of the house for a whole day.”

Jesse moves again. “I moved into town when I was  _ ten _ guys.”

“Never have I ever stayed outside fighting monsters for a whole night.”

Jesse glares at all of them with an edge none of them thought possible with the nice, awkward girl they thought they knew, “It was part of my mother’s training of me. But hey, I know how to catch an arrow barrelling straight for me or someone else nearby. Never have I ever eaten Dried Kelp on its own.”

“That’s just a weird one,” Olivia points out.

Axel nods, “Yeah, who would—”

Lukas glares at a smug Jesse as he shifts back, “It was oNE TIME! And it was because I was tired and wondered what it tasted like!”

“Yet you were surprised when the kelp from the  _ ocean _ was salty!”

Lukas grumbles, “Never have I ever had a thing for blondes.”

Everyone moves back and Lukas looks at them slightly offended but he’s also flattered?

“My first crush was this cute blonde girl that lived in my grandparents’ town.”

“My second ex is blonde.”

Axel just shrugs, no explanation given.

“Okay...”


	5. Chapter 5

By the end of that night, they find out several minor things about each other and many, many major things about Jesse.

Her mother was an adventurer and fighter, with an average capability in many trades. She taught her daughter how to fight, how to disable basic redstone traps, how to deal with injuries, how to survive underwater if circumstances required it, and about the dangers and such of the various biomes in and out of the overworld. It’s with her teaching that Jesse has developed this sort of sixth battle sense, ready to spot out danger or trouble. But she insists that she’s rusty, they can't help but doubt that but they’ll believe her as much as they can for now.

Her father, on the other hand, well they didn’t learn much. Except that he’s the exact opposite of his wife, in that he was just a humble farmer. He was probably the one that taught her how to make that little carrot garden she keeps for Reuben.

The group plans what they’ll do tomorrow as Jesse’s drifting off to sleep. They’ll head out as early as they can to find it. When it starts to rain, Lukas makes some slabs to prevent the rain from dripping onto them through the leaves. They place some above the now sleeping Jesse first.

* * *

They find the building soon enough once they get out of the shelter, but it's in utter ruins. No one in their right minds would be living there.

“Isn’t it weird how dispensers are carved to look like spooky little faces? What do you dispense, little guy?”

“Stop.” She points to two pressure plates, before pointing to the dispensers, “Those dispense arrows, ready to attack intruders. Might even bring a gate down to lock in the trespassers.”

“Shouldn’t be that hard to disable,” Olivia says, confident and sure, “Let’s just destroy the pressure plates. No, wait, this was made by Ellegaard, so there’s probably a failsafe if someone tries to do that.”

Lukas and Axel stare at each other before looking back to the girls, “So, let’s just run for it?” Lukas suggests with a deadpan shrug.

Olivia hums, “There’s no other pressure plates that I see down the hall, so if we trigger this one then manage to somehow turn it off we could get through this without being turned into pincushions.”

Lukas steps forward and points to an area that seems to be vacant of the same decor as the trapzone, “I think I see a crafting bench there. If we can get there we could craft something to turn it off once we turn it on.”

Jesse nods, before looking between all of them, “You guys ready? Three... two... one... Go!”

They run through the barrage of arrows, somehow not even getting hit once. But then they see that Jesse had her sword out and now has a few arrows in hand.

“Oh, wow, thanks,” Lukas scratches his cheek nervously.

“I... honestly thought you were overexaggerating last night...” Olivia says, blinking at her.

Jesse smirks sheepishly, “Any of you got a piece of string? Or we could just use Olivia’s fishing rod to try and hit it again?”

“I have one, and I think Lukas still has a few extra sticks from last night.”

“Perfect, that’s enough to make a bow.” Jesse crafts the bow and shoots the pressure plate. They pass through the hall and notice Jesse grabbing some of the arrows, “What? I don’t have my Infinity Bow here so I need all the ammo I can get.”

* * *

Once they enter the Order’s enchantment room, Jesse feels a sharp shiver run up her spine and she staggers back.

“Jesse?”

“I’m fine. I’m fine... just... This room gave me the chills is all.”

Axel nods, looking around, “I don’t blame you, this looks like Ivor’s creepy basement.”

They fan out for a moment before they all find the enchantment table book.

It speaks of the Order’s legendary battle with the dragon.

_ “The battle was fierce but the Order of the Stone emerged triumphant, saving the land and ensuring that peace and prosperity would reign forever.” _

“Not exactly forever, clearly,” Lukas snarks underneath his breath as Jesse reads on.

_ “These five members, five friends together, would give so much to gain their rightful place as five heroes. They would author their own end. They would slay a dragon.” _

“Ivor was a member of the Order,” Olivia concludes, “That explains why he held such a grudge against them. He was written out of history! They lied to us, to the whole world.”

“Why would they do this?” Axel asks, trying to figure out why someone would backstab a friend like that.

“Because history is written by the victors. But even the writers can be bias. Maybe there was a disagreement before they wrote their feat into the history books? Who knows. It’s not our problem. That  _ monster  _ is still out there,  _ Petra _ is still out there. We still have every reason to do what we came here to do.”

“She’s right,” Lukas agrees, “Let’s get back to focusing on the task at hand.”

“There’s some stairs over here, let’s head up,” Olivia points out.

* * *

Jesse places the amulet on the Pedestal and the five of them flick the levers. A guiding light points them to Ellegaard’s island and Magnus’ town.

Jesse’s asked to choose. Go for Magnus with Axel, or go for Ellegaard with Olivia.

_ Magnus, he knows all about destruction. He should know how to handle a Wither. But that thing isn’t a normal Wither and that block is positively something Redstone related, and for that we need Ellegaard. _

“No.”

“What?” Her two friends shout.

“I’m not going with either of you.”

“What do you mean?” Olivia asks, “You go with one of us to find a member of the order while the other stays with Lukas to fortify this place, simple.”

“Yeah.”

Jesse chuckles, shaking her head, “You two are my  _ best _ friends. I know neither of you would stay here while the other meets and recruit their idol no matter what I tell you. So.”

“So...?”

“You’re both going. I’ll stay here with Lukas to fortify this place and hopefully find somethings,” She concludes, crossing her arms with a smirk, “Am I wrong about what I said though? About you two probably leaving Lukas here to fortify this place alone.”

They both put their heads down in shame, “No...”

“We’re all counting on you. That includes Petra  _ and _ Gabriel.”

“Uh, guys.” Lukas points them to the ever growing Wither Storm, “Please hurry.”

**Author's Note:**

> There's another version of this that has been proofread when I was more Awake on my tumblr @mythicalsongwolf, same icon as my ao3 one


End file.
